Last year, we asked people to vote for their favorite trails on Okemo. The results put Nor'easter, Stump Jumper, Tuckered Out and Heaven's Gate on top.
This year, we asked which trails you least like to ski/ride. Maybe they're too crowded, too icy or too slow. No shade to Okemo of course. The mountain's shape is what is what it is.
Here's what you said:
9. Vortex (1%)
Vortex is the feeder trail for Jackson Gore's premier trail, Quantum Leap. The top is fine, but just after you cross under the Quantum Six, there's a steep and narrow curve. On busy days, it becomes a sheet of ice and people slide right off. Relatively few of you seem to mind it though.
8. Lower Limelight (4%)
Lower Limelight is a pretty nice trail with a good pitch and some fun turns. It's also a main conduit for people coming back from Solitude to Jackson Gore. The steeper lower section can get jammed up with novice skiers making their way to the Waffle Cabin, so you'll want to watch your speed.
7. Jack-a-lope (5%)
Lower Limelight's alternative to return to Jackson Gore is Jack-a-lope. The good news is that never gets icy or full of moguls. That's because it's very flat. Be prepared to give small children and snowboarders a push to get through it while the 0.01% look down on you from their chalets.
6. Upper Mountain Road (5%)
Surely people voting for this trail don't have a problem with its aesthetics. Upper Mountain Road is a beautifully scenic trail, flocked by evergreens. There's vistas to take in and and an access point for the popular Whispering Pines glade. I's just a bit slow and flat.
5. Countdown (7%)
This picture is rarely what you'll find on Countdown. It's a heavily trafficked trail leading to Upper World Cup, Mueller's Run and South Face from the top of the Main Face. It can get icy and moguled early in the day, right from the top of the trail. If you make it down the second headwall, you'll join up with Sprint which becomes a slick and narrow turn on under the Glades Peak Quad. Good luck!
4. Lower Arrow (13%)
Do you like sitting in traffic? No? Well, Lower Arrow is like sitting on I-91 the Friday before winter break. There are people everywhere, some of them crying children. Many trails from the Main Face funnel into Lower Arrow and the Clock Tower area, creating the triple hazard of people, ice and moguls.
3. Jolly Green Giant (19%)
None of the words in the name "Jolly Green Giant" serve as an accurate description of this trail. It's not a "giant", especially compared to its neighbor, Nor'easter. It's a blue trail, not a green. Finally, it may be a jolly ride only early in the day. It's so narrow it gets skied off quickly, leaving many to slide down the steeper sections.
2. Sidewinder (19%)
Sidewinder is actually a pretty great trail. The only problem is it looks too appealing for beginners coming down Coleman Brook. From the top, it looks gentle and wide. It is, until you get to the headwall. The drop off has claimed many a novice skier, giving it nicknames like "The Crying Run" and "Slidewinder". If you're not an experienced skier or your edges aren't sharp, avoid Sidewinder, especially in the afternoon.
1. Catnap (26%)
And our winner (or loser) for least liked trail is Catnap. Maybe it's a little unfair to call Catnap a trail. It's really just a way to get from the Main Face to South Face unless you want to sit for eternity on the Glades Peak Quad. Catnap is a pretty flat traverse and unless you're able to pick up enough speed coming off Rimrock, you're likely to be skating or walking across it. Snowboarders must find it especially unpleasant. If you endure it, you'll be rewarded with some great, uncrowded trails on South Face.
